Netflix’s Terrace House: Opening New Doors is a major return to form

Terrace House, the glacially slow reality show about young Japanese people agonizing over where to get taco rice and whether to hold hands, is back on Netflix today worldwide. Its been airing week by week in Japan since December, so Ive seen the first 11 episodes already, and heres the main thing you need to know: after last seasons weird and sometimes awkward detour to Hawaii, this is a major return to form.

The new season, Opening New Doors, sees Terrace House head back to Japan. This time the house is in Karuizawa, an upmarket resort town in the mountains of Nagano surrounded by ski slopes and hot springs. As a result, the vibe is completely different to the previous season, Aloha State, with its sun-kissed scenes of surfing and…